Biography

Tobia Scarpa (Venice 1935) works in the field of architecture, design and restoration. Tobia Scarpa graduated in architecture from the University of Venice in 1969 and in that same year won the “Compasso d’Oro” (Golden Compass) with his chair Soriana. He has received many other awards as a designer, such as the “IF Industrie Forum Design Hannover” in 1992. Some of his works are also on display in the world’s most important museums, including the chair Libertà at the Louvre in Paris.

With regard to architecture he works with public and private clients, such as the Benetton Group for which he designed the entire industrial complex at Castrette di Villorba (Treviso). The designs for Benetton are still today considered an aesthetic-functional paradigm and a shining example of industrial architecture (work displayed at the 2012 Biennale in Venice).

He has worked as a designer with B&B Italia (Coronado), Cadel, Casas, Cassina (Soriana), Dimensione Fuoco, Flos (Papillona, Pierrot), Gavina ora Knoll International, Goppion, IB Office, Maxalto, Meritalia (Libertà), Molteni, San Lorenzo, Stildomus, Unifor, Veas, Flaver, Estel, Ono, Gpe Led and Testi Fratelli just to name a few.

He taught in the Faculty of Design and Arts at the Venice University of Architecture (Cladis) between 2002 and 2011.

In October 2004 the Italian Institute of Culture dedicated a personal exhibition to him in Chicago and in 2005 in Los Angeles.

In 2008 he received the Compasso d’Oro for his career.

In 2012 the Museum of Decorative Arts in Bordeaux organised the first exhibition on Carlo Scarpa and Tobia Scarpa entitled “Dialogo sospeso”.

 

59 Glasses

‘59 is the year in which Tobia Scarpa first designed these glasses. The proportions were smaller then, more suited to that time. Read more

Girasole Basket

It came about partly for fun, responding to an initiative by a French magazine which invited a few designers to create an object starting from just two sheets of paper. Read more

 

 

Oscarina chair

Heartwood of ash, bent wood surfaces, flowing shapes, gentle curves, bold joints, little glue, no paint or varnish. Not easy to take in all at once. Read more

 

 

 

Muto Table

“When I design, some incident or other always crops up to make me re-design“. Read more

 

 

 

Santiago coat stand

The long rods in ash complete with terminals take the form of the “crosier” staff and the characteristic sticks used by pilgrims as a “walking aid”. Read more